Lucy and Hayley

Lucy seems to be 100 percent recovered from her eye injury and has even stopped using it to guilt us all to bow down to her supreme power. Although the other day she bumped her head on the wall and got a big goose egg and when I told her I was sorry that happened she said "You didn't do it this time. You scratched my eye, memember?" The incident may be forgiven but not forgotten. She is one hundred percent potty trained, even at night. She loves to announce this to everyone. Her aunt, her teacher, the cashier at the grocery store all have to applaud her when she announces at full volume "I am in the potty club! I pee all the times!"

Being 3 and a half is hard work!

Hayley and I are both struggling again with finding our balance. I am constantly pulling her to slow down, stop trying to grow up so fast and keep up with all of her friends and she is pulling away, determined to go her own way, even if she is unsure which way that she wants to go. She reminds me so much of myself at 13 or 14, even though she is only (almost) 10. She wants to find a way to fit in with everyone that I am afraid she will lose a sense of who she is. But every time I think I can't take one more eye roll or fresh remark from her, she does something like this

Yes, she's smarter than me, we knew this long ago.

And reminds me what I love so much about her. Her creative, sweet, and kind spirit. And I remember that this is all part of growing up and I try to pull a little less and worry a little less and listen a little more.
And I also remember that she is my oldest, which means that I have to go through all of this four more times. And then I need to take a little nap.

Coming up: What is up with these yahoos?